Sexual Identity And Gender Expression - 1399 Words

To conceptualise sexual identity and gender expression, Judith Butler (1990) proposes a poststructuralist perspective; that gendered behaviour (masculinity and femininity) is learned, a performative act, and that gender is constructed through a ‘heterosexual matrix’. She describes this as [A] hegemonic/epistemic model of gender intelligibility that assumes that for bodies to cohere and make sense there must be a stable sex expressed through a stable gender (masculine expresses discursive male, feminine expresses female) that is oppositionally and hierarchically defined through the compulsory practice of heterosexuality (Butler, 1990; 151). She proposes that one is born a particular sex, which in turn dictates one’s gender, which in turn†¦show more content†¦Reality, from the realist perspective, is seen to have a stratification of existence, which Bhaskar (date) outlines as the ‘empirical’, the ‘actual’ and the ‘real’. The empirical is the experienced, a sub-set of the actual; the things and events in their concrete historicity, and these are both a sub-set of the real; the structures, the internal relations of the actual parts. Socially, realists distinguish the ‘empirical’ reality of social life from the ‘real’ objects whose causal powers effect social change through ‘actual’ mechanisms. This ontological depth has bearing when exploring the sex-gender relationship, where there are real anatomical sex differences, and empirically real gender differences. Rather than â€Å"deterministic†, sex categories are â€Å"causa l† to result in a particular gender. One born to a particular anatomical sex tends to be a particular gender; the outcome is probable. That is because of the actual mechanisms, the cultural, religious, historical truths, that create a tendency between the ‘real’ and the ‘empirical’. This is what Butler somewhat fails to portray: the influences of race, class, and time. â€Å"Heteronormativity† is the term coined to define the systemic and pervasive belief, structurally, socially and somewhat unconsciously, that heterosexuality is the normal and inevitable sexuality, it ‘makes sense’. It is grounded in determinism; that one’s anatomical sex must compliment their partner’s ‘opposite’Show MoreRelatedSexual orientation is the preferred term used when referring to an individuals physical and or1100 Words   |  5 PagesSexual orientation is the preferred term used when referring to an individuals physical and or emotional attraction to the same and or opposite sex. Heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual and pansexual are all sexual orientations. An individuals gender identity and expression is distinct from their sexual orientation. Throughout life as the individual explores the world around them, they are shaped by the unique experiences and influences that are imparted upon them. All people experience life s ubjectivelyRead MoreSexuality And Gender : Social Constructs Essay1366 Words   |  6 PagesSexuality and Gender are social constructs. They are more like fluid concepts. Both are on spectrums. Why could they be considered controversial topics, more specifically the spectrum? Well, the idea of sexuality being more than just heterosexuality has been challenged by conservative types and others alike for years. They may even deem anything other than heterosexuality as something abnormal and immoral. For some, it can be quite difficult to understand that sexuality is on a spectrum. EspeciallyRead MoreSexual Orientation Within America s Most Controversial Topics1058 Words   |  5 Pages Sexual orientation can be considered as one of America’s most controversial topics. 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Gender roles are established atRead MoreThe Issue Of Sexual Orientation1090 Words   |  5 Pagesregarding sexual orientation is vast, and a lot of different definitions of the concept have been introduced throughout time. Nevertheless, although homosexuality is fairly common in the United States, many people still misunderstand it. The different types of sexual orientations and their difference from other sexual-related terms, such as gender role and gender identity, are all confused by the general population. Sadly, even to day, there are people that believe in a right or wrong sexual orientationRead MoreThe Issue Of The Canadian Immigration Act1399 Words   |  6 Pageswas death, which later on moderated and became imprisonment for a period of 10 years. Through 1947-1961, many amendments were made to the criminal code, which further criminalized the idea of trans genders. During the 1960s, the British Parliament deiced to decriminalize some of the offences of Tran genders. In the May of 1969, following the prime ministers elections, after Pierre Elliot Trudeau was elected as P.M., his government passed Bill C-150. This bill decriminalized gay sex for the first timeRead MoreGender Differences Between Sexuality And Gender888 Words   |  4 PagesIn sociology, we make a general distinction between sexuality and gender. Sex is the biological trait that we use to determine whether or not a person is a male or a female, whether it be through chromosomes, genitalia, or some other kind of visual physical de scription. When society talks about the obvious differences between men and women, they are often drawing on sex rather than gender, which is now an understanding of how society helps to shape our new understanding of these biological categoriesRead MoreGender Identity : Then And Now1553 Words   |  7 PagesGenders: Then Now In today s world there are more than two genders. Believe it or not there are (unofficially) eight genders, and according to Facebook, there are fifty-eight genders to choose from. It is not simple anymore. There are four main terms that make up how you show your gender; Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Gender Role, and Sexual Orientation. Your Gender Identity is how you perceive yourself and what you call yourself. One’s gender identity can be the same or different thanRead MoreGender Identification : An Exploration Of The Transgender Group1625 Words   |  7 PagesGender Identification: An Exploration of the Transgender Group and Their Relationship in Society Gender identification and expression of transgender individuals has become controversial in America because of lack of knowledge and societal acculturation of this group. As society continues to connect gender identity with sexual identity, those who identify as transgender are forced to conform to the cultural norms of society or choose not to openly portray their gender expression. Although the mediaRead MoreSexuality Is A Social Identity That Goes Beyond The Objectivity1636 Words   |  7 PagesSexuality is a social identity that goes beyond the objectivity of the title and into the subjective scope of the personal lives of individuals, which in turn fabricate the social constructivism of a nation. Classism, heterosexism, and cisgenderism are further reinforced within the institutionalization of heteronormativity, being the promotion of the gender binary and heterosexuality as the only valid form of gender expression and sexual orientation. The normalization of this system is not enforced